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After Care, Maintenance and Cleaning
Please remember, how your carpet holds up depends on your maintenance.
For the best performance it is imperative that it receives regular
vacuuming. Rule of thumb: Number of people in the home is the number
of times a week to vacuum. The use of soft-backed throw rugs in entryways
leading to carpeted areas is also recommended.
Also remember to save some of your scrap carpet for any unexpected
repairs. Any carpet can be repaired. If you have a Berber carpet be
sure not to drag furniture across it. Loop pile carpets can snag.
If you get a snag, pull it taught and cut it even with the pile and
call for a repair. Just be sure to get the snag before the vacuum,
kids or pets do. A pull in a loop pile carpet can run the length of
the room. Traffic must be kept to a minimum on glued down carpets.
Allow 24 hours after installation before vacuuming.
The man who cleans my carpets gave this formula to me:
1 quart water - 1 quart white vinegar - ¼
cup ammonia
Mix this up and put it in a spray bottle.
No one likes it when there is a spill on the floor,
but with some care and patience, it can be cleaned before becoming
a permanent part of the carpet. The information listed below will
prepare you to properly deal with spills and keep your carpet clean
for years to come.
Act Quickly! Most carpet available today has been treated
with a stain-resist treatment; so many spills can be removed if immediate
action is taken. The longer the delay, the higher the probability
of a spill becoming a permanent stain. Remember, staining is influenced
by many factors, and no carpet is completely stain proof.
You'll need a few items first; it is usually better to have these
items ready before you ever need them. Several white terry towels
or a wet vac. Four trigger sprayers. A pail and sponges are a good
idea also. From the chart below mix up the required solutions and
place into the sprayers. Label them for quick reference. The solutions
you want to have ready are detergent, ammonia, vinegar, and plain
water. Don't forget to have a liter of Club Soda as well. Pre-test
all spot removal agents in an inconspicuous area to make certain the
solution will not alter the fibers or damage the texture of the fibers.
Dye bleeding will show up on the towel. If any dye transfer or damage
becomes visible you should contact a professional technician to clean
up spills unless you plan to use nothing but water.
Blot liquids with a dry, white, absorbent cloth or white (no
printing) paper towels. (For larger spills a wet vac is recommended.)
Do not scrub the area! Scrubbing can cause pile distortion
in the affected area. Continue to use a dry cloth or paper towels
until the area is completely dry. For semi-solids, gently scrape up
with a rounded spoon. Solids should be broken up and vacuumed until
completely removed. . Mud is usually best left to dry, then vacuumed
and spot cleaned.
If the spot can be identified, locate the substance in the spot removal
computer and follow the directions carefully.
Pretest any spot removal agent in an inconspicuous area to
make certain the solution will not damage the fiber or the dye. After
applying several drops to the testing area, hold a white cloth on
the wet area for 10 seconds. Examine the carpet and cloth for color
transfer, color change, or damage to the carpet. If a change occurs,
another cleaning solution should be selected.
Apply a small amount of the selected cleaning solution to
a white cloth, allow to sit for about 10 minutes and work in gently.
Work from the edges of the spill to the center to prevent
the spill from spreading. Do not scrub! Blot, absorbing as much as
possible, and repeat if necessary.
Continue using the first cleaning solution as long as there
is a transfer of the spill to the cloth. It is not necessary to use
all of the cleaning solutions if the first solution removes the spill.
Be patient! Complete removal of the spill may require repeating
the same step several times.
After the spill has been completely removed, rinse out the affected
area with cold water and blot dry to remove the cleaning solution
completely as any residue may attract soil and cause damage to the
carpet. To effectively blot up the water, you may use clean, dry towels
weighed down by flat, heavy objects like a book; keep changing the
towel as they become saturated.
Do not to over wet the area, Over wetting of carpets while cleaning
may cause damage to the carpet.
1. LIQUID DRY CLEANING FLUID: A nonflammable
liquid available in some hardware stores or through this site.
2. PAINT, OIL, GREASE REMOVER: Always neutralize
with dry cleaning fluid after using this solution.
3. DETERGENT SOLUTION: Mild, non-bleach
detergent (Zero or other delicate soap) 1 tablespoon into 2 cups warm
water.
4. COLD WATER:
5. WHITE VINEGAR: undiluted.
6. AMMONIA SOLUTION: 2 oz regular household
ammonia to one-cup water.
7. CLUB SODA: Use undiluted to aid with
dye stains.
8. ENZYME SOLUTION: Mix according to label
instructions.
9. PROFESSIONAL HELP: Some spills require
professional attention and chemicals.
IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO REMOVE A STAIN - KEEP IT, COVER IT WITH
A MOIST TOWEL AND CALL FOR ASSISTANCE.
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